This invention relates generally to a twist tie machine, and in particular, to a hand held twist tie machine capable of sealing plastic bags in boxes or drums.
Many operational steps are required to apply a twist tie in the form of a wire/paper/plastic ribbon. In the past, complex machinery has been designed to effect performance. These machines, as illustrated for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,318,230 issued May 9, 1967; 3,428,096 issued Feb. 18, 1969; 3,898,924 issued Aug. 12, 1975 and 4,177,842 issued Dec. 11, 1979, are machine constructions which rely on complex mechanisms, electrically driven in some instances, and generally using cam devices to provide sequential motions necessary to the procedural steps in applying a twist tie ribbon to the product. Such progressive patent teaches an improvement in performance and simplification in structure. However, endless belt chain drives, pulleys, complicated linkage systems are not uncommon and the need for adjustment for operation and to compensate for temperature variation and for wear is relatively frequent. Use of both a forward feed drive for the ribbon and independent reverse feed drive for tightening the ribbon above the bundle is also disclosed in the prior art, adding to its complexity.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,977 issued Dec. 24, 1985 to provide a pneumatic twist tie feed device for providing a helical wrap about a package. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,655,264; 4,827,991; and 5,121,682, owned by the Assignee, Clements Industries, Inc. of the present invention, are all directed to various improvements of these twist tie feed devices. However, each improvement, although in some cases directed to the pneumatics of the device, is directed to a complex and oversized machine.
The prior art devices are satisfactory and provide many uses in the industry, but each of the devices is overly complex and, as a result, large in size, thereby requiring a great number of controls and several pneumatic valves and solenoids. Additionally, because the prior art machines are large, none of them provide a portable device which is capable of sealing, for example, a bag in a box or a drum. These devices are configured such that they are unable to fit into a tight compartment. Rather, the item to be tied must be brought to the twist tying machine.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved twist tie device which is easier to handle, light weight and portable. The twist tie device should also be simple in mechanical construction and easy to clean.